The Best Donut Shops in San Francisco

A freshly-fried donut and piping-hot large coffee. We’ll wait for you to name a more iconic pairing.

Krispy Kreme made donuts a thing when they started churning out the deep-fried goodies in 1937. Since then, donut shops have graced every street corner in every city throughout the country. Now, you can find fancy versions alongside the classics on the streets of San Francisco. So grab a steaming cup of coffee and get ready to dig into a sweet treat — here’s where you can grab some of San Francisco’s best donuts.

You haven’t really started your morning until you’ve sunk your teeth into a Happy Donut bearclaw or good ol’ glazed yeast-raised donut. Known for their “cash only policy,” this Vietnamese-run donut eatery is frying up over twenty varieties daily. From raspberry glazed cake donuts to cream-filled Long Johns, there’s surely a fried pastry for everyone at Happy Donut. But be sure to get there early (read: they’ve been known to completely run-out by 10am).Pro Tip: At about $1.50 per donut and $2.75 for a cup of coffee, make sure you have a few bucks on you or stop by an ATM before heading in.

A Mission staple, Dynamo Donut is a quaint, barstool-lined bakery just off 24th Street. But what they lack in decór, they more than make up for in seasonally available donuts. With an ever-rotating assortment of cake and yeast-raised donuts, you’ll be hard-pressed to find the same donut on sale each visit. Their Meyer lemon and huckleberry glazed yeast donut is unspeakably delicious, if you can find it.Pro Tip: Looking for something a bit out of the ordinary? Try Dynamo Donut’s take on bread pudding (Hint: they replace the “bread” portion with something deep-fried and glazed).

Between the minimalist seating arrangements and spacious marble bar, you can’t escape the modern, Italian charm of this quaint café off Clement Street. Sure, you can grab a blueberry scone or cinnamon-crunch muffin from behind the glass, but Heartbreaker’s specializes in deep-frying bombolinis — filled-to-order Italian cream, custard, or jelly fried pastries, each one dusted with cinnamon sugar before being either plated or bagged.Pro Tip: Traditional cream or jelly filled donuts have a tendency to get “soggy” if they’re not eaten right after being filled. With that said, unless you’re getting made-to-order bombolinis, it’s probably best avoid any jelly filled donut past noon.

Known for their pour over coffees and breakfast sandwiches, this old-timey bakery is also frying up some of the best donuts anywhere in Union Square. A word to the wise: during the morning rush hour commute, things can get a little hectic — and claustrophobic — inside. We’d recommend waiting till sometime around 10 a.m. or so to hop in; Barbary Coast offers freshly made donuts till about 9 p.m.Pro Tip: Their chocolate and coconut cake donut is a crowd pleaser — we’d recommend joining in.

I mean, how could we not mention Bob’s Donuts in our best donuts roundup? For one, they’re open 24-hrs — so, whether it’s a late night munchie run or rush hour dine-and-dash, their doors will be open. As if Bob’s Donuts could be any more appealing, they have some of the most affordably priced fried morsels anywhere in the city. At less-than-a-dollar each, you can have your [fried] cake — and eat it, too!Pro Tip: Think your donut is just too small? Bob’s Donuts is famous for frying up “big donuts” — which are twice the size of your head.

Looking for an adventure this weekend?
Sign up for The Weekender and once a week (no more, no less) we'll send you an email chock full of tips and tidbits to kick-start your planning process. We just need your email.